


Five Years On

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-13
Updated: 2008-11-13
Packaged: 2019-02-02 13:26:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12727434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: 5 years after saying farewell to General Hammond SG-1 comes together to say goodbye.





	Five Years On

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** This is a fic in reaction to hearing of the passing of the great Don S. Davis on the 30th, my little goodbye to his alter ego.  
>  If anyone is offended by the thought of this fic then I apologise and turn back now. Anyone else, read on.  
> This fic is also on my pages at Livejournal (Darkness4Light) and the Cartouche (Jayla2). Thanks for reading!

Jack stood straight and tall as they lowered the coffin down into the damp soil, typical it would be raining today. Jack wondered slightly if Oma or Thor or another of their allies who could beat the drums of thunder and make the Heavens cry was up there watching, deep down he was glad of the rain, it hid the tears slowly rolling down his handsome face. 

Dragging his eyes away Jack looked around at the other mourners. There had been hundreds at the service. The SGC had had its own memorial for the General; this was the personal gathering for the man. 

Over by Jack's right side were Hammond’s children, with Tessa and Kayla clinging to their mother desperately, little Kayla almost screaming. Opposite Jack Daniel stood firm but wiped at tears occasionally with the black hankie Jack had shoved into his hand part way through the funeral, sensing eyes on him Daniel looked back at Jack and smiled a wobbly smile at him with tear-filled blue eyes and Jack's heart swelled, even in the midst of pain and depression he could still break through Daniel's walls and soothe the pain-filled man. 

By Daniel's side Sam stood, gorgeous in the black dress she wore to Janet's personal memorial. Her head was buried in Pete's shoulder as he patted and soothed her, he glanced up at Jack and smiled a sympathetic smile, Jack smiled back, she'd chosen a good one. Teal'c was next, standing ram-rod straight beside Pete, currently glaring at Vala who'd annoyed Daniel until he'd allowed her to come. Next to her was Mitchell, trying his hardest to shut her up, Jack didn't envy him.

The rain had started early into the funeral and by now the ground and mourners were completely soaked. There had been some beautiful readings and offerings by George's family and SG-1. Daniel had read a poem he'd found somewhere after trawling the internet for hours, Sam and Jack had given the dignified military obituary before Jack had announced to the congregation that other than the military stuff he was "a damned fine man and no-one could do better for this world." before Sam had yanked him away, worried about national security. Teal'c had his little Jaffa speech and Hammond's sons and daughters had given their own version of the man. Jack didn't start crying until the girls had started singing the new Sugababes song Change. Such amazing voices from two devastated little girls.

Jack remembered when George retired after his grandchildren were threatened, how different would life be if he'd let it go? If Jack had never taken that chance? He'd always been so strong, to see the man get weaker after retiring was so hard for them all, but he was in a better place now. Up there with his wife, Charlie, Sha're, Kowalsky, Janet and all those who'd died before them looking down and laughing.

Jack stayed on as the others moved away towards the cars to drive over to the wake. He stood at the foot of the grave and looked at the large gravestone, engraved with the USAF insignia and his General wings. Lt. General George Hammond 4 August 1942 - 29 June 2008 Beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend. Revered General and servant of the people of the United States. He will be missed.

"It doesn't seem real does it?" A low, familiar voice said at Jack's shoulder, reaching his gloved hand back Jack gripped Daniel's hand a squeezed slightly.

"No Danny, it doesn't. I don't know if it ever will." Jack looked back over his shoulder at his younger lover. The last time he'd seen Daniel so in pain was when Janet died. Oh god, Janet. It still hurt when he thought of her, the tears pricked again, stinging his overused tear ducts. It would be this way with General Hammond too, not as intense as when he lost Charlie but as sharp and slicing as Janet, Kowalski and Skaara. Another person lost to lie deep in his soul for his mind to drag up and show to him in the depths of sleep, reminding him, torturing him. Jack felt Daniel draw closer to his side and knew it was the same for his linguist; Daniel still woke up screaming on occasion and wore each death like a ball and chain, rattling until Jack unlocked him.

Jack waited until he and the rest of SG-1 plus Vala, Cassie and Pete were back at Daniel's house before he started drinking, knowing he'd need a clear head to talk to and reminisce with the other mourners at the wake. He'd gone to all the people he recognised and could talk to to remember the man who'd been more than a General, more than a colleague or commanding officer and more of a friend and father-figure. There was a lot of laughter at the wake. No-one could say a bad thing about the larger than life man and everyone had at least one anecdote. He was a big man, a funny, friendly, loving man and nothing could ever replace him but who would ever want to? Daniel had said he missed him in the briefing room and very nearly missed getting cuffed by Landry, softly of course. Jack remembered the way he treated them all, to George Hammond the people under his command were just that; people not numbers. 

George would rather sit in his front room and talk and joke then shout orders and send people into deathly situations, but the man was also all about his job. He loved it and lived it until he was forced to retire due to health problems and a retirement that was eight years in the making.

Jack rested back into the seat and looked around at the people he called his family again. Sam and Pete had married when Jack was still the commander of the SGC and he'd officiated the ceremony. With the Goa'uld, Replicators and the Ori finally all defeated the SGC and SG-1 had slowed down and settled down. Sam was expecting her first child with Pete and was glowing at three months along. Teal'c spent his time between Dakara and Earth doing all he could for the safety and freedom of the universe. Landry, Mitchell, Daniel and Vala were still doing their jobs, arguing their way across the galaxy with Sam until she had to go on maternity leave. The world had carried on going, changing and growing until Jack had felt so out of sync with his own family. Jack was an intelligent man and knew that when life knocked you out of the loop something would wake you up and knock you back on track if you listened closely enough.   
Sam looked up from her place against Pete and smiled over at Jack. "So, are you going back up to Washington at the end of the week still?"

Jack took a deep breath and glanced at Daniel who was wildly gesturing at him with his eyes. "No Carter. I think I'm gonna stick around."

"On a holiday?" Mitchell and Vala asked at the same time.  
Jack shook his head and reached for the beer bottle again, downing the last of the suds before answering. "No. In two minutes I'll be Jack O'Neill, retired. I've decided to finally take hint and make an honest man of Doc Jackson here." Jack slapped Daniel's knee and listened smugly to the multiple gasps of shock around him, and one indignant, amused snort.

"Yeah, yeah flyboy. You wish." Daniel took a swig of beer before sliding into a fully drunk doze, having drunk one or two wines at the wake and being a lightweight.  
"What made you decide sir?" Mitchell piped up, still giving Vala odd looks.

"I guess it started when I got kidnapped by sleepy here as a Prior, seeing him like that then realising that the last time I'd been back at the mountain for much time was when I came to see him after the Ori poked their heads through the door. I've missed too much." Jack sighed, not telling them that some days he thought he shouldn't have left the SGC and accepted the promotion.

Together they counted down the rest of the minute left 'til Jack was no longer a military man then toasted him, Daniel and Jack's engagement and General Hammond.  
It took a long time and a lot more beers before everyone shuffled off to bed, leaving Jack alone in the dark with only his thoughts and the silence. Speaking aloud to the empty room Jack allowed his fears to overcome his pride. "What are we going to do without you George? How are we gonna do this without you? How could this happen? What is everyone gonna do? What if I screw this up again? What's going to happen now?" Jack wiped the last tears away and sighed. Knowing that the walls weren't going to give him the answers he needed.

Finally as he turned off the last of the lights Jack heard the familiar Texan voice in the silence. "Looks to me like you've done a fine job, son. You'll get by Jack. You always do. You just keep that family of ours safe and I'll be up there doing the rest."

Jack turned and in the gloom he saw the outline of the man and the twinkle in the pale blue eyes. "George."  
The figure nodded, the way he'd always done. "You're doing fine, son."

Jack looked him up and down as the figure faded until Jack wasn't sure he'd seen anything, if his mind had only projected it. "Sweet."

~In the years that pass you will be a memory  
and what we had will fade into the past  
it will be written in the dusty tomes of years ago  
where golden days and blue-skied pasts dwell  
you will be remembered  
the pages of these tomes where you are written  
will be read  
to me you were a man  
to others you were a legend  
a better man than many, where others feared  
you dared to be and rose to glory in their eyes  
you were once a hero  
to many you will be forever  
but to those blessed few who knew you  
you will always be a man  
a man who lit up their lives  
and left the light on when you left~

The End

*didn’t you feel that...we had someone lookin’ out for us? - Daniel Jackson Ep903 Origin*


End file.
